Dispenser for napkins or similar articles



April 3, 1951 A. E. COFRIN ET AL DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS oR SIMILARARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1946 INVENTOR. Qwkrz E Coin/z,BY Jamzw/Z WHO 0e, M M)3 1 L April 3', 1951 A. E. COFRIN ET AL DISPENSERFOR NAPKINS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1946INVENTOR-S @zaiuz E 60261, BY fiamae/Z H Patented Apr. 3, 1951 '1 UNITEDSTATES PATENT orrics DISPENSER FOR NAPKINS OR SIMILAR ARTICLES Austin E.Cofrin, Green Bay, and Samuel N. Hope, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignorsto'Fort Howard Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsin Application June 28, 1946, Serial No. 680,306

4 Claims.

dispenser economical in its operation, since it per mits the withdrawalof only one napkin at a time.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dispenser whichexposes only a small portion of each napkin as it is moved into positionfor withdrawal.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a dispenser whichpresents a portion of each napkin prior to its being withdrawn from thedispenser in a manner permitting free access to that portion, eachsucceeding napkin being left in the same position as was held by thenapkin preceding it prior to. the withdrawal of the latter; whichpresents a portion of each napkin prior to itsbeing withdrawn from thedispenser through an opening which, because of its novel construction,protects the exposed portion of each napkin from soiling while still inthe dispenser; which may be readily opened and closed during a reloadingoperation; and which has a novel and simple pressure spring and plateconstruction for continual feeding of the napkins into dispensingposition.

Further objects and advantages of this inven- A tion will become evidentas the description proceeds, and from an examination or the accom-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser embodying the features ofthe present invention.

Figure'Z is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the pressure plate and theresilient strip associated with same; with one side of the dispenser inopen position.

vFigure 4 is a view in horizontal cross-section of a'portion of one ofthe end walls of the dispenser shown in Figure 1, the view being takenalong the line 4-4 of Figure l. r

As shown in the drawings, the dispenser may be constructed having twooppositely disposed end walls through which the napkins are dispensed',the dispenser being formed with two identical halves. This, of course,is only one form 2 of a dispenser embodying the invention since it couldbe readily constructed so that the napkins would be dispensed throughone or more of the vertical walls.

In the embodiment of the invention shown,'

the dispenser has the two side walls I formed integrally with the topwall 2. The lower edges of the side walls I are bent inwardly to formthe flanges 3 which overlap and are secured to two opposite edges of thebase plate 5. Secured to the other two edges of the base plate are thehinges 5 to which are attached the end walls 6 which are therebypermitted to open outwardly. The end walls t have the perpendicularmarginal flanges l which are formed to fit within the side walls I andthe top walls 2 when the end walls ginal flange 1 entering'between thespring latches ill and the side walls l when the end wall dis. closed.This arrangement allows. the end wall I, 6 tobe readily swung open whendesired by ap-" plying the proper'outward pressure to it.

The end wall 6 has the opening ll therein,the

upper marginal edge [2 of the opening being disposed substantially atthe mid-point of the wall 6. The outer surface of the end wall 6 abovethe opening I [has a generally convex disposition,

as best shown in Figure 4, the marginal edges of that surface adjacentthe top wall 2 and the side walls I being sharply rounded to form theflange 1, with the amount of curvature rapidly diminishing toward thecenter of the end wall 6.

The marginal edges of the opening H are folded inwardly to presentasmooth,rounded down at its outer extremities into the side marginaledges E3 of the opening ll as shown in Figure 1.

These side marginal edges [3 lie in'. a plane intersecting the end wall6 along a linev l2, rounding into the lower marginal edge 14 of theopening I l at their lower extremities. The upper portions l of the sidemarginal edge l3 form a continuation of the narrow lip formed by theupper edge l2, the projection of the lip from the end wall 6 beinggradually reduced as the side marginal edges I3 extend downwardly andinwardly as described, the lip terminating substantially at themidpoints of the side marinal ed es it.

The lower marginal edge [4 of the opening H curves inwardly throughoutits length, the adjacent portion l6 of the end wall 5 immediately belowthe edge l4 being dished inwardly.

Thus the opening II is set in the end wall 6 at an angle to thevertical, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the lower edge 14 thereofbeing offset inwardly. In addition, the upper marginal edge l2 of theopening II has a generally convex disposition, as best shown in Figure4, and the lower marginal edge [4 thereof has a generally concavedisposition, as best shown in Figure 2.

' The contours of the end wall 6 just described, in combination with thedisposition of the opening II, are designed to maintain the supply ofnapkins I! or similar articles in a position permitting ready access tothe short, outer fold [8 of the napkin adjacent the opening II.

The pressure plate I9, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, isdesigned to aid inmaintaining the napkins I! inthis position. This pressure plate iscarried by the resilient strip which urges it toward the end wall 6, theplate, in turn, urging the napkin l1 toward that wall. The resilientstrip 28 is rigidly attached to the pressure plate adjacent the bottomedge 2|. of the plate at the point 22, immediately below the lower endOf the narrow outwardly curved ridge 23., This ridge has a breastboneshape and is positioned to exert a pressure on the napkins l! which, incombination with the contours of the end wall 6 above described, causesthe, napkins toassume a convexed disposition throughout their upperportions (when viewed fromoutside the dispenser). This pressure isespecially operative at the location of the opening H, sincethe loweredge 14 of the opening is inwardly depressed and confines the lowerportion of the napkins more closely than the convex portion of the endwall 8 above the opening. This lower edge l4 also operates togive'thelower portion of the napkins a concave disposition.

Thisarrangement creates a reverse bend in the napkinswith a concavedisposition underlying a convex disposition above,- all of whichcombines to cause the short outer fold l8 of the napkins adjacent theopeningli to extend Vertically down from the upper edge l2 of theopening and out of association with the inwardly bent portion of thenapkins. The lower end 24 of the fold i8 is then in a position whichpermits free access to it by anyone desiring to withdraw a napkin fromthe dispenser. The inwardly dished portion of the end wall 6 permitsready grasping of the end by one or more of the fingers and the thumb,since a finger or fingers may be easily inserted behindlthe end 24 andthe thumb may then beclamped down on the finger or fingers, with the end24 locked therebetween.

. In the embodiment illustrated, the two depending resilient strips 26are formed of one continuous piece ofv material which is bent to formtwo ends dependingfrom a short, straight center section 25. This centersection 25 is secured to the top wall 2 by the slotted plate 26 which isrigidly attached to the midpoint of the underside of the top wall 2 bythe rivets 21. The depending strips 20 emerge through the slots in theplate 26 and are formed to normally urge the pressure plates toward thewalls 6, as described above. The method of securing the strips 20 to thepressure plates l9 maintains them in a position which allows pressure tobe applied by the ridges 23 to the napkins in the manner describedabove.

Each resilient strip 20 could, of course, be mounted independently ofthe other, the method of forming and mounting utilized here being only amatter of convenience.

The form of the pressure plate and resilient strip combination.described above provides a very simple construction, which isnevertheless effective. This effectiveness is attained without the useof complicated, articulated joints between the plates and the supportingmembers, and between the supporting members and the top wall, which hasbeen a common method used in the past. The need for separate springmembers to urge the supporting members toward the side walls has alsobeen eliminated.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the base plate 4 has the upwardly turned,vertical sides 28 adjacent the inner surface of the side walls I. Thesesides 28 are provided with the inwardly protruding tongues 29 which actas stops for the pressure plate [9 when there are no napkins between theplate-and the end wall 6. The laterally extending portions 30 on eachside of; the

pressure plate are positioned to meet and be restrained by the tongues29 when the plate is in such an extreme outward position.

The overhanging character of the upper edge I2 in relation to the loweredge I4 of the opening H is particularly desirable from the standpointof preventing soilage of the napkins while still in the dispenser. Anyforeign matter falling onto the dispenser from above will be preventedfrom entering the opening I l by this feature. In addition, thedepending lower end 24 of the fold l8 forms a screen for the opening llwhich'is not contiguous with the remaining portion of the napkinsadjacent the opening. Thus, any soiling that may occur will probably beconfinedentirely to this end 2 3 of the outermost napkin.

The drawings and the above discussion are not intended torepresent theonly possible form of this invention as mentioned above, in regard todetails of construction. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts,as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated,ascircumstances may suggest orrender expedient without departing fromthe spirit or scope of this in-.

vention.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser for folded napkins and the like comprising a plurality ofside walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, one of said side walls havingan elongated opening therein extending across said wall, said openingbeing disposed so asto exposethe free end of the short" outer fold of anapkin and the like within said dispenser adjacent to said opening, theportion of said wall above said opening and the upper marginal edge ofsaid opening beingcurved outwardly and the portion of said wall belowsaid opening and the lower marginal edge of said opening being curvedinwardly, a pressure plate Within said dispenser having a centralprojectingportion protruding toward said opening and spring meansdepending from said top wall adaptedv to urgesaid pressure.

plate toward said Side wall having said opening therein, said pressureplate in turn being adapted to urge a stack of napkins and the likedisposed between said pressure plate and said side wall toward thelatter.

2. A dispenser for folded napkins and the like comprising a plurality ofside walls; a top wall, and a bottom wall, one of said side walls havingan elongated openin therein extending across said wall, said openingbeing disposed so as to expose the free end of the short outer fold of anapkin and the like within said dispenser adjacent to said opening, theportion of said wall above said opening and the upper marginal edge ofsaid opening being curved outwardly and the portion of said wall belowsaid opening and the lower marginal edge of said opening beingcurvedinwardly, a pressure plate disposed within said dispenser, a resilientstrip depending from said top wall and being secured at its lowerextremity to the lower portion of said pressureplate, said pressureplate having a centrally and vertically disposed convex ridge thereinprotruding toward said opening, said pressure plate, being disposedwithin said dispenser so that said ridge in said plate and said openingare at substantially the same level and said napkins or the like areforced against said lower margin of said opening by said plate. 7

3. In a dispenser for napkins and the like, a wall having an elongatedopening therein extending across said wall, one of the longitudinalmargins of said opening and the portion of said wall adjacent theretobeing curved outwardly, the other longitudinal margin of said openingand the portion of said side wall adjacent thereto being curvedinwardly, a pressure plate within said dispenser, and means adapted tourge said pressure plate toward said wall, said pressure plate having acentrally disposed convex ridge therein protruding toward said wall andbeing disposed transversely of said opening so that said napkins or thelike are forced against said lower margin'of said opening by said plate.

4. In a dispenser for napkins and the like, a Wall having an elongatedopening therein, the portion of said wall adjacent the upperlongitudinal margin of said opening and said upper margin being curvedoutwardly, and the portion of said wall adjacent the lower longitudinalmar-' gin of said opening and said lower margin being curved inwardlythe transverse margins of said opening being angularly disposed withrespect to said Wall, so that the lower portions of said transversemargins are offset inwardly, a pressure plate within said dispenser,andmeans adapted to urge said pressure plate toward said wall, saidpressure plate having a centrally disposed convex ridge thereinprotruding toward said wall.

AUSTIN E. COFRIN. SAMUEL N. HOPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,216,713 Marcuse Feb. 20, 19171,819,753 Morris Aug. 18, 1931 2,069,264 Morris Feb. 2, 1937

